Twins 8, Giants 3: How Sweep It Is....Twins Beat Giants in Three Game Series

[Sherry Cerny]

The Twins dominated the Giants offensively and defensively this series, a definite confidence booster from what many saw as a "must win" series! 

 

Box Score
SP: Aaron Sanchez 3.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (81 pitches, 50 strikes (62%))
Home Runs: Jake Cave (2)
Top 3 WPA:  Jake Cave (.284), Max Kepler (.166), Carlos Correa (.107)

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

Pitching Payoff
Aaron Sanchez started his third game for the Twins since being traded. Sanchez has pitched only nine innings with the club. Sanchez racked up 20+ pitches before getting out of the first inning with the help of his defense. 

Sanchez got through almost four innings, two times through the line-up, and 81 pitches before hitting Mike Yastrzemski. The Twins challenged the hit-by-pitch and after losing the challenge, with two guys on in scoring position and two outs, Emilio Pagan came in to relieve Sanchez. Pagan walked the first two batters he faced. The second walk tied the game at three. Pagan started the fifth frame as well. 

Devin Smeltzer replaced Pagan with one out in the fifth inning. He allowed an inherited run to score, but got the Twins out of a jam and then pitched well for two more innings. Smeltzer has been coming in not as a starter, but as a middle reliever for the past few games and he has been holding strong in that position. While it may not be an easy transition for a pitcher to make, he certainly has made it look easy and seamless. 

Come Back Kings
With September coming later this week, the team knows that it’s going to take a full effort from everyone to get back up to first place in the division. The starting line-up Sunday consisted of Nick Gordon playing at second base. Gordon has played second base five times throughout the season, but this was his first game starting at second base. He has become instrumental to the chemistry of this team, a true utility player. He is always up to the challenge. 

That mentality of “team effort” started right away in the first inning. Carlos Correa and Max Kepler got on base, but both were ultimately stranded and left the inning with no runs. Kepler, who couldn’t get a bunt down, swung at the next pitch and ended up with a short chopper towards the mound that looked how he probably wanted his bunt to. The first baseman attempted to field the ball and during that time, Kepler landed safely on first. 

The Giants scored first with a hit from former Twins LaMonte Wade Jr. but the Twins answered quickly. Correa, who has been on fire since returning from the series with Houston, came up to the plate and hit a double that scored Gilberto Celestino. Correa was happily disappointed, signaling to the wall, to say, “it should have been a home run”, in any other park, it may have been, but here it was just enough to tie up the game. 

The Twins stayed in the game offensively with hot bats, and it eventually paid off. In the top of the fourth, a two-run home run from Jake Cave off a slider gave the Twins the lead for the first time. Cave was absolutely clutch this weekend. More than once this weekend he has been in positions to give the Twins the advantage and come out with a win. 

All of the Twins batted in the next inning starting with Luis Arraez getting a single. He scored on a Max Kepler double. The momentum was real and the hits kept coming! Jose Miranda, Gio Urshela and Cave all followed with run-scoring doubles to help push the score up 8-3 before the inning ended.

The next few innings were a little more relaxing. There is always a chance when you are in close contention of a score, that it can get stressful, but this series has been everything that this team and fanbase has needed. It’s given everyone a chance to see exactly what this team is made of, a boost of confidence and a chance to get back first place in the central. A sweep is a great place to start!

What’s Next?
Boston comes to Minnesota for a three game series, can they keep up the winning momentum? 

Pitching matchup for the next series:
Monday 6:40 pm CST: Dylan Bundy(7-6, 4.56 ERA) vs. RHP Brayan Bello (0-3, 7.36 ERA)
Tuesday 6:40 pm CST Chris Archer (2-7, 4.34 ERA) vs. RHP Kutter Crawford (3-5, 5.30 ERA)
Wednesday 6:40 pm CST Joe Ryan (10-6, 3.65 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Wacha (9-1, 2.53 ERA)

Postgame Interview

 

 

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

  

 

 

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[USAFChief]

A nice, relatively comfortable win. I rather enjoy those. 

Nitpic: bullpen usage chart missing 11 pitches from Lopez today .

[rv78]

Looks like the Twins have found their man to carry them on his back for the rest of the season. The blind squirrel, normally known as Jake Cave, gets the big hit again today. How many acorns can this guy find before they send him back to AAA. I'm guessing they'll sign him to a huge contract extension thinking his usual 0-fers must have been flukes.

[mikelink45]

Sorry, but despite the win Pagan still looks like a disaster and with better teams coming we need him gone.  Why Sanchez and not Smeltzer?

Otherwise it was a great win and a wonderful sweep!

[D.C Twins]

Release the Correa-ken!!!!!

If there is going to be a sustained surge, he'll need to lead it. 

Ironically a hot September will greatly increase his chances of opting out, but we'll take it anyway if possible!

The line up (and order) from today's game needs to be repeated many times over the next month. 

Days off should no longer be scheduled during the stretch run

[FlyingFinn]

Sisk, Peacock, Moran, Maeda, Ober (what's the latest on these last two?) - give any one of these guys the chance. They can't be any worse than Pagan.

[DKrz56]

Aaron Sanchez started his third game for the Twins since being traded. -- What trade?.....pretty sure we simply signed A. Sanchez to a minor league deal midseason. 

 

[jmlease1]

"I love winning, you know? Like, it beats losing?"

A good win. Giants don't look like they're going anywhere this season, but they're not a bad team, and going into the series they had almost the same record as the Twins. Now, the Twins are still in the hunt and the Giants are pretty much cooked. That's a really good series sweep. 

Nice to see Cave get a big hit; he didn't make much of a play on the ground-rule double (JMO) so that was a big response. Be good if Smeltzer can get comfortable as a 2-3 inning middle reliever.

[KirbyDome89]

Only 2 games back despite going 4-6 in their last 10. Cleveland has a tough 6 games this week. If the Twins hold serve against Boston and Chicago continues their tailspin MN could have a share of 1st place heading into that NY series. This division is hilarious.  

[Doctor Gast]

Smeltzer as long relief did great, if need he could pitched longer to spare short relief.

[JimPohlad1]

3 hours ago, FlyingFinn said:

Sisk, Peacock, Moran, Maeda, Ober (what's the latest on these last two?) - give any one of these guys the chance. They can't be any worse than Pagan.

I agree. And Ober will be back within the next couple weeks down the stretch while Maeda will help with the bullpen come end of September, depending on injury progress,

[VivaBomboRivera!]

5 hours ago, jmlease1 said:

"I love winning, you know? Like, it beats losing?

It's time to work on your interviews.  Write this down...

[h2oface]

Nice to finally see the Twins win a game on Sunday afternoon, and not all look like they had just ate a stack of 20 pancakes each.

[Nashvilletwin]

Aaron Sanchez has filled in admirably and was a solid mid year addition by the FO. He could still play a meaningful role down the stretch and may be a better bet in a must win start than Archer.

BTW, feel free to add a couple of runs to any starter’s ERA with that home plate ump yesterday. Talk about a tight strike zone - it looked like you basically had to throw it in a thimble to get a called strike.  Tough to get the start when that ump is behind the plate.  

[bighat]

Nice sweep. Still, looking at this horrific roster I see no reason to get hopeful. Even if the Twins get some players back in the next couple weeks, they're going to need time to shake off the rust. There's just not enough time, not enough talent on the field. 

It's very likely the Twins go 3-7 over their next 10 games (BOS, at CHISOX, at NYY). I just don't see any way for this goes our way. 

[Aerodeliria]

32 minutes ago, bighat said:

Nice sweep. Still, looking at this horrific roster I see no reason to get hopeful. Even if the Twins get some players back in the next couple weeks, they're going to need time to shake off the rust. There's just not enough time, not enough talent on the field. 

It's very likely the Twins go 3-7 over their next 10 games (BOS, at CHISOX, at NYY). I just don't see any way for this goes our way. 

Unfortunately, I agree to the very letter. I hope against hope I am wrong, but that's my exact prediction as well.

[jmlease1]

7 hours ago, VivaBomboRivera! said:

It's time to work on your interviews.  Write this down...

You got to learn your clichés. ?

[ashbury]

Dear Giants Fans: Ha ha, you're now the Royals.

[TruthInDuluth]

What does that picture tell you about this weak lineup? 
a player with a gray beard ends up the hitting star of the game 

go figure

[bighat]

4 hours ago, Aerodeliria said:

Unfortunately, I agree to the very letter. I hope against hope I am wrong, but that's my exact prediction as well.

Right? Twins just got swept easily in HOU by the Astros. There's absolutely no reason to assume the Yankees won't do the same, and that's a 4-game set.

[AaronRendahl]

No mention of the national anthem?  I was proud to be part of the chorus that sang the anthem on Sunday, as well as God Bless America and Take Me Out to the Ballgame during  the seventh inning. We are all members of various local choruses in the Barbershop Harmony Society. It was a great experience to be on the field for the anthem! And I'll mention too that if anyone is interested in joining a chorus, most of our local choruses don't require any experience and we're always looking for new members. It's a great hobby, and next year you could get the chance to sing the anthem too! See http://northstarchorus.org/, http://minneapoliscommodores.org/, and https://loldistrict.org/regions-chapters for more info!

[RpR]

1 hour ago, bighat said:

Right? Twins just got swept easily in HOU by the Astros. There's absolutely no reason to assume the Yankees won't do the same, and that's a 4-game set.

The Yankees are not in the same level of play as Houston or Los Angeles Dodgers right now, they can  and have been beaten by teams tech. lessor than the Twins, BUT, Baldelli has get his players over the psychological pit they have been in against the Yankeed since the days of Gardenhire.

[Squirrel]

3 hours ago, bighat said:

Right? Twins just got swept easily in HOU by the Astros. There's absolutely no reason to assume the Yankees won't do the same, and that's a 4-game set.

With this team, I just can't assume anything. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst ... and if the best happens, yippee, and if the worst happens, okay, you're prepared  

[Doctor Gast]

I'm going to plug Palacios again. He'll be a great sub up the middle (the best we have), also he's really hitting at AAA. Some one had disagreed earlier because he said we need to give Arraez ABs. I differ because I question if he can put in a full season, he hasn't yet and IMO he's struggling right now even against RHPs. IMO he's tired or hurting. So giving Arraez ABs shouldn't be an excuse not to bring up Palacios